How are natural estrogen and progesterone produced?
Natural estrogen and progesterone are produced naturally in yams. These natural ingredients are extracted from these vegetables. The natural hormone is then processed by a special compounding pharmacy into a capsule or tablet These hormones are identical in molecular structure to our own natural hormones even though the natural base is from yams.
How do these differ from the synthetic estrogens and progestins?
Synthetic estrogen and progesterone are produced in a laboratory in an attempt to elicit the same response as your naturally produced hormones. They are chemically altered so that they can be patented by pharmaceutical companies. Since these synthetics are not identical in chemical structure to our own natural hormones, they may adversely stimulate receptor sites that lead to side effects and cancers.
What are the problems with synthetic estrogen replacement?
When first developed, synthetic estrogens were well received because they offered the benefits of estrogen replacement — fighting osteoporosis and heart disease, They also helped to reduce the symptoms associated with menopause. However, the long term results have shown that these synthetics were also eliciting a metabolic response that was not obvious at the start. in some patients, synthetic estrogens contributed to the development of breast and uterine cancer.
There are receptor sites in the body that receive messages from hormones, These receptor sites arc being tricked by synthetic hormones into producing a nearly identical result to a natural hormone. However, these receptor sites, when stimulated by synthetic hormones, have, evidently, in the long-.run, produced other, unacceptable results in some patients leading to cancer. A natural hormone does not try to trick the receptor site it acts as an identical hormone replacement.
Why doesn’t my gynecologist prescribe natural hormones?
Because natural supplements such as vitamins and hormones are protected by federal regulation, they may not be patented and therefore are not produced by major pharmaceutical manufacturers. A lot of what physicians learn is from studies produced by pharmaceutical companies, who have conducted an expensive study to prove the effectiveness of a certain medication. Your gynecologist was taught only about the synthetic products. Natural hormones do not come under specific brand names and require more self-education and experience in prescribing and monitoring. Your gynecologist probably just doesn’t know a lot about them or how to prescribe, monitor and adjust the dosage.
What are the signs of low Progesterone?
Progesterone is responsible for balancing estrogen and the female reproductive cycle. Deficiency results in symptoms of PMS, water retention, bloating, tender breasts, headaches, cramping, irritability and mood swings.
What are the health benefits of Progesterone?
Research shows natural progesterone stimulates bone building osteoblasts, thus providing protection against osteoporosis. Progesterone reduces the mitotic change in breast and uterine tissue, thereby protecting against cancer. Progesterone is responsible for the physiologic equilibrium with estrogen. It should be used for treating menopausal symptoms, PMS, and osteoporosis. At menopause, women lose both estrogen and progesterone. It only makes sense to replace them both together, building back to physiologic levels.
How does one know whether they are receiving adequate amounts of replacement hormones?
Blood tests determine deficiencies. Blood tests also determine whether adequate replacement has been prescribed. All people will absorb, assimilate, and respond to hormones differently than others. If the proper level (and therefore tissue level) is not achieved, then the full benefit of hormone replacement is not realized.
What if I’ve been taking synthetic hormones?
There is now a revolution occurring because of new data from years of research. Synthetic estrogens have been associated with adverse side effects and risks unacceptable to women. Natural, plant derived hormones avoid these problems. If your physician refuses to prescribe this for you (or really doesn’t know how), then find a physician who is knowledgeable about natural hormones and make the switch.
Should I take estrogen and progesterone or not?
The risks of not taking hormone replacement therapy include elevated cholesterol, heart disease, strokes, osteoporosis, depression, menopausal symptoms, and Alzheimer’s Disease. The adverse effects of swelling and breast cancer can be almost eliminated by using the natural estrogen and progesterone. Overall health and well-being are improved, long term survival is greatly improved and the quality of life greatly enhanced. The medical community has long recognized the long term benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy particularly in preventing heart attacks, strokes, and osteoporotic fractures, all of which result in over 95% of the major cause of death in postmenopausal women.
What about Raloxifine?
Raloxifine (Evista) is of a new class of drugs called estrogen blockers. These anti- estrogens were designed to block estrogen and at the same time stimulate reccptors in bones and vessels, This has researchers trying to make estrogen blockers into estrogen replacements without the side effects. Studies show that these compounds are effective in increasing bone mass and preventing heart disease. However, there is little data and no long-term studies. In fact, these estrogen blockers are related to Tamoxifen, which has been shown to stimulate uterine cancer. Also, estrogen blockers do not relieve any of the side-effects of menopause — only estrogen and progesterone relieve these side effects.
